10 Best Train Board Games to Play in 2026
All aboard! We picked the best train board games that make new players feel like real conductors—no ticket punching skills needed.
All aboard the board game express! We’ve played more train board games than we care to admit (and yes, we may have made choo-choo noises). Our picks for the best train board games mix easy rules, clever strategy, and enough excitement to stop you falling asleep at the station. We focus on what makes each train game stand out—do you get to lay tracks, build rail empires, or maybe just sabotage your friends’ plans and laugh? If you’re new to train games or want to find your next ticket to fun, you’re in the right place.
On this list:
10 Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride always hits the table when we’re introducing new players to train board games. It’s simple, yet strategic, and delivers just enough drama when someone grabs the route you needed. We love how it builds and keeps everyone invested till the last turn. Our friends still talk about the time Karen blocked Dave’s Chicago route and Dave sulked for a week. Easy rules, fast play, and tons of maps on BoardGameGeek make it perfect for family and casual nights.
9 Railways of the World
This one feels like you’re running a serious train empire. We get a kick out of drafting routes, building tracks, and stretching our brains on how to make the most money. The game is huge – you need a solid table and strong tea. After an epic session, we were still bragging about our routes days later. There’s a lot of planning, but it never gets dull. Railways of the World is perfect for train fans who want some meat on their board game.
8 Russian Railroads
Russian Railroads might sound cold and scary, but it’s warm with crunchy strategy. It’s worker placement meets train mania. We played this with some competitive friends and wow, the tension of beating each other to railway upgrades is intense. There are so many paths to victory, you can almost smell the coal. Only downside: the victory point math might give you flashbacks to high school algebra. Still, if you love deep planning, this one delivers.
7 Trains
Want deckbuilding and trains in one neat package? Trains does it well. It takes the Dominion feel and adds a board where you build tracks from city to city. We laughed a lot at the way our decks got clogged with waste – everyone became rubbish collectors instead of train tycoons. Still, seeing your network grow while grabbing that last key city makes for great moments. Recommended if you want trains with a side of shenanigans.
6 Chicago Express
This elegant train board game kept us on our toes the whole night. It’s half investment, half train building, and all fierce competition. We kept sabotaging each other’s profits in auctions and had so much fun with backstabbing. It’s shorter and lighter than some train games, so perfect when we want to squeeze in train action before dinner. If stock markets and trains sound good together, this is a winner for you.
5 Age of Steam
Age of Steam is a legend among train games, and for good reason. When we played, we quickly learned it’s a game of harsh choices and tight money. The rules are a bit rough, but it rewards bravery and meanness in equal measure. There’s something special about watching your tracks stretch across the board – or your dreams crash and burn due to one bad decision. Hardcore train fans need to try this.
4 Whistle Stop
Whistle Stop lets us build a route across America with tiles and delivers a more relaxed train vibe. It’s colorful, fun, and there’s always someone who tries a mad dash for the golden nugget at the end. We like how you need to plan out your engine upgrades and pickups. The game is easy to teach, but has enough twisty decisions to keep things lively.
3 TransAmerica
TransAmerica is perfect for quick train board game sessions. We always bring it on game nights with new players, because the rules are as simple as making coffee. Build your tracks, connect your cities, watch your friends groan when you beat them by one turn. It’s light, fast, and never outstays its welcome. This is the filler train game we can’t stop playing.
2 Snowdonia
We picked Snowdonia because it’s a clever train game about building railways up misty mountains, but with a dash of worker placement thrown in. It’s all about trains, tracks, and weather that hates you. Our group had a blast digging tunnels and cursing every time it rained. It gives you that tricky train strategy, but it’s not on your banned list!
1 1830: Railways & Robber Barons
1830 is the king of train board games and deserves the top spot. When we played 1830, we got a true masterclass in train stocks, cutthroat deals, and ruthless betrayals. It’s not for faint hearts—our friendship group nearly broke up over some savage train bankruptcies. But man, did we feel like tycoons! 1830 gives you the full train company experience: stock manipulations, bankruptcy, and the best crunch in all board gaming. If you want the real train game experience, 1830 is it.
